Simulated masonry facing panel



United States Patent O 3,524,790 SIMULATED MASONRY FACING PANEL Richard A. Mason, Orange, Conn., assignor to National Distillers and Chemical Corporation, New York, N.Y.,

a corporation of Virginia Filed Jan. 3, 1967, Ser. No. 606,771 Int. Cl. B44f 9/04 U.S. Cl. 161-37 10 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A single panel of facing material, having simulated masonry stones of various dimensions on its front; being stepped in complementary fashion at its opposite sides to permit its being positioned either rightside up or upside down with its ends engaging the ends of sidewise adjacent identical panels; having a simulated joint extending horizontally across the entire panel; and having a plurality of simulated vertical joints which intersect the top and bottom edges of the panel and are so positioned that they form extensions of actual vertical joints between the panels next above and next below the panel being considered.

This invention relates to the structure of a panel used to form a continuous decorative surface facing for a wall or other at surface, and more particularly to such a panel having simulated masonry blocks on its front surface and means to camouflage the actual joints between adjacent panels.

One of the prime drawbacks of existing simulated stone or masonry siding or facing products is that it is easy to pick out individual panels in a continuous surface of such panels. This is because the basic panels are usually rectangular in shape and it is easy for the eye to trace the outline of each panel. This effect is called paneling out.

The present invention is designed to eliminate paneling out. To accomplish this the panel is stepped in a complementary fashion at two opposite sides. One side is ascendingly stepped. The other side is stepped in an in- Verted ascending form. The tilt direction of each side is the same, whereby each panel appears substantially to be a parallelogram having stepped sides. Every step has the same vertical height and the horizontal upper edge of each step intermediate the top and bottom of the panel is identical. In a preferred form, the panel has two steps at each end, thus having only one horizontal step upper edge intermediate the top and bottom of the panel.

To further reduce paneling out, the simulated masonry stones on the panel are of various dimensions, 4which makes it more difficult to observe the joint lines between individual panels.

To additionally reduce paneling out, each panel has at least one horizontal simulated joint between adjacent masonry stones extending entirely across the panelfl'his horizontal joint is intermediate the top and bottom edges of the panel and does not meet a horizontal upper edge of any of the steps, whereby the viewers attention is drawn to the horizontal simulated joint line, and the actual horizontal joint lines are camouflaged.

In addition, the panel has simulated vertical joints between simulated masonry stones, which joints intersect the top and bottom edges of the panel at predetermined positions. When an individual panel is positioned in a continuous surface of such panels, all the panels can be readily positioned so that the rst positions on each individual panel contact the end of an actual vertical joint between the adjacent panels directly above or directly below the individual panel being considered. This positioning lets the eye follow any vertical joint through an "actual horizontal joint into the top or bottom adjacent 3,524,790 Patented Aug. 1S, 1970 panel unil the eye notices that the vertical joint comes to a dead end.

As a further feature of the present invention, each individual panel can be comprised of a vinyl material.

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a panel of simulated masonry material shaped and designed to eliminate paneling out.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent when the following detailed description is considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the front surface of a single panel designed in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a portion of a continuous surface comprising individual ones of the panel of FIG. l.

Referring to FIG. l, the panel 10 may comprise part of a continuous surface of simulated masonry paneling or facing for convering a at surface such as a wall. The panel 10 has a front surface on which are positioned a plurality of decorative elements 11 which are designed as simulated masonry stones. Since it is the object of the present invention to prevent paneling out, i.e. the ability of an observer to spot individual panels in a continuous surface, the simulated stones 11 are of various dimensions, which confuse the eye of an observer. Furthermore, as will be more fully discussed below, each individual panel 10 can be positioned right side up, as shown in FIG. 1, or can be positioned upside down. If adjacent panels are occasionally inverted with respect to one another, the repetitiveness of the pattern resulting from having a continuous surface of identically designed panels is reduced, making it more diicult for an observer to visually spot individual panels in a continuous surface.

While decorative elements 11 are simulated stone blocks, it is in the contemplation of the invention to employ simulated bricks, tiles or any other commonly used facing material for a continuous surface. Similarly, although the stones 11 are shown as being rectangular, it iS within the contemplation of the invention that individual ones of the element 11 might have other geometric shapes so long as the particular horizontal and vertical simulated joints discussed below are present on the panel 10.

The panel 10 has top edge 12 and bottom edge 13 and has opposite sides 15 and 16. The sides 15 and 16 are stepped in a complementary fashion. The side 16 has two ascending steps 17 and 18. The side 15 has steps 19 and 20 which are complementary to steps 17 and 18, which are in an inverted ascending form and which are so shaped as to be identical to the shape of steps 17 and 18 if those steps were inverted.

All steps, 17, 18 and 19, 20 have the same height. The step 16 has an upper edge 21 and the step 19 has an upper edge 22, which upper edges are intermediate the top and bottom edges 12, 13 of the panel. Every step upper edge intermediate the top and bottom edges of the panel has an identical length.

While the panel of FIG. 1 has two steps at each side, there can be any number of steps greater than two on each side, so long as the steps at each end tit the above description.

By having the panel 10 stepped in the fashion just described, a continuous surface of individual ones of the panel 10 can be formed (see FIG. 2), With the steps at one side of a first one of the panels 10 being in Contact with the complementary steps on the side of a neighboring panel 10,

Because each step has the same height and each upper step edge 21 and 22 has the same length, each panel 10 can be used right side up, as shown in FIG. l, or it can with equal facility be used upside down, i.e. inverted from FIG. 1. In this manner, paneling out is reduced since it is more difiicult for an observer to visually spot a repetitive pattern in a continuous surface of panels 10.

The individual masonry b locks 11 are separated from one another by simulated joints, which areA usually strips 24 of simulated bonding material and which, in the case of a panel of masonry material, are designed to look like cement or mortar.

One of these simulated mortar strips 25 extends horizontally, with respect to the top and bottom panel edges 12 and 13, across the entire width of the panel 10 from side 15 to side 16. The strip 25 is intermediate the top and bottom edges 12, 13 and is so positioned that itis at a horizontal level different from those of the horizontal upper surfaces 21, 22 of any of the steps at the sides of the panel 10. When a panel is positioned in a continuous surface of panels 10, the horizontal strip 25 draws the attention of an observer away from the actual horizontal joints between adjacent panels, thereby reducing paneling out.

If all sidewise adjacent panels are positioned right side up with their edges 12 facing upward and their edges 13 facing downward, the horizontal line 25 would extend along the entire length of the endwise engaging panels 10. However, if occasional, or alternate ones of the sidewise engaging panels 10 are inverted, whereby their edges 12 face downward and their edges 13 face upward, an observer attempting to find the actual horizontal joints would follow this extended simulated horizontal joint only to have it end at a vertical joint with the next sidewise adjacent panel. Paneling out would thereby be further reduced.

Referring to FIG. 2 a portion of a continuous surface comprised of a plurality of panels 10 can be seen. In the drawing, the outline of adjacent panel-s V10 has been made darker to show the joints therebetween. However, when the panels 10 are installed in the field, every effort is made to camoufiage the actual joints between adjacent panels.

Each panel 10 has horizontal joints 27 with the panels which are adjacent above and -below them.

Each panel 10 also has vertical joints 29 between itself and the sidewise next adjacent panel 10.

Each panel 10 has a number of simulated vertical joints 30 between adjacent masonry blocks.

A plurality 31 of these simulated vertical joints 30 intersect the upper and lower edges 12, 13 of each panel 10 at first positions 32. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the joints 31 are positioned such that the first positions 32 along the edges 12 and 13 of the panels 10 can contact the ends of the actual vertical joints 2'9 between sidewise adjacent panels 10. This positioning of the joints 31 with respect to joints 29 lets the eye of an observer follow any actual vertical joint 29 through a horizontal joint 27 of the above or below adjacent panel until the joint 29, 31 cornes to a dead end. This illusion helps to break up the long continuous horizontal joints between adjacent panels.

As a further feature of the present invention, thel panel 10 may be comprised of a vinyl plastic material. Such material can be readily shaped or molded to simulate a panel of masonry blocks; is easily cleaned and is not damaged by water or the usual materials which come into contact with a surface of facing material; makes lightweight, easy-to-handle panels; can be neatly cut or sawedoff and can be bent over, when the end of a continuous surface is reached or when it is desired to use the paneling to form a continuous surface on abutting walls.

The panels 10 are installed on a wall or on a flat surface by normal installation methods for siding and paneling, e.g. by the use of carpentry tools, glue, etc.

lIn order to cover the lapped joints of the continuous surface of panels of facing material and to hide exposed na-il heads, a mortar joint compound is applied over the actual joints between adjacent panels to simulate cement mortar and to visually appear identical to the simulated bonding material strips between the simulated mortar blocks. The cement mortar can be formulated for adhesion to vinyl and to be as durable as the vinyl material of each panel.

A simulated masonry vinyl panel of facing material has ju-st been described, which panel is designed to minimize paneling out, to be easy to install and to be longlasting.

Although there has been described a preferred embodiment of this novel invention, many variations and modifications will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is to be limited, not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appending claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege or property is claimed are defined as follows: i

1. A facing panel for covering fiat surfaces,

said panel having a front surface;

said panel having a top and a bottom edge, and a first and a second side;

said first side being stepped in an ascending fashion and having at least two steps;

said second side being oppositely stepped in a fashion complementary to said first side and having the same number of steps as said lfirst side;

said top and bottom edge being equal in length;

each of said steps being equal in height;

at least one stop on each of said sides having an upper edge intermediate said top and said bottom edge of said panel;

each said upper edge of every step being equal in length;

said front surface having a plurality of decorative elements theeron, separated by simulated joints; said decorative elements being of various sizes and various vertical and horizontal dimensions;

said decorative elements being so shaped and positioned that there is at least one simulated joint that extends horizontally entirely across said panel intermediate its said top and said bottom edge, whereby the actual horizontal joint between vertically adjacently positioned panels in a continuous surface of such panels will be camouflaged.

2. The panel of claim 1 in which,

each of said decorative elements comprises a simulated masonry block,

and said simulated joints comprise strips of simulated masory block bonding material.

3. The panel of claim 2, in which said panel is cornprised of vinyl material.

4. The panel of claim 1, having a first plurality of said simulated joints which are vertical with respect to said panel and which intersect said top and said bottom edge of said panel at a plurality of first positions;

said first positions being so chosen that when said panel is positioned among a plurality of identical panels which are all in engagement with their adjacent panels and form a continuous surface of panels, said first positions on said edges of said panel contact the actual vertical joints between sidewise adjacent panels which are positioned above and below said panel.

5. The panel of claim 4, in which said panel is comprised of vinyl material.

6. The panel of claim 2, having a first plurality of said strips of simulated masonry block bonding material which are vertical with respect to said panel and which intersect said top and said bottom edge of said panel at a plurality of first positions;

said first positions being so chosen that when said panel is positioned among a plurality of identical panels which are all in engagement .with their adjacent panels and form a continuous surface of panels, said first positions on said edges of said panel contact the actual vertical joints between sidewise adjacent panels which are positioned above and below said panel.

prised of vinyl material.

8. A covering for a at surface, comprising a continuous surface of adjacent facing panels,

each of said panels having a front surface;

each of said panels having a top and bottom edge,

and a irst and a second side;

said rst side being stepped in an ascending fashion and having at least two steps;

said second side being oppositely stepped in a fashion complementary to said rst side and having the same number of steps as said rst side;

said top and said bottom edge being equal in length;

each of said steps being equal in height;

at least one step on each of said sides having an upper edge intermediate said top and said bottom edge of each of said panels;

ea'ch upper edge of every step being equal in length;

said front surface having a plurality of decorative elements thereon separated by simulated joints;

said decorative elements being of various sizes and various vertical and horizontal dimensions;

said decorative elements being so shaped and positioned that there is at least one simulated joint that extends horizontally entirely across each of said panels intermediate its said top and said bottom edge, whereby the actual horizontal joint between vertically adjacently positioned ones of said panels in said continuous surface of such panels will be camoudlaged;

a rst plurality of said simulated joints being vertical with respect to each of said panels and intersecting said top and said bottom edge of each of said panels at a plurality of rst positions;

said ffrst positions being so chosen that when all of said panels are positioned to comprise said continuous surface of panels, said rst positions on said edges of each of said panels are contacting the actual vertical joints between adjacent ones of said panels which are positioned above and below each of said panels.

9. The covering of claim 8 in which,

each of said decorative elements comprises a simulated masonry block,

and said simulated joints comprise strips of simulated masonry block bonding material.

10. The covering of claim 9, in which each of said panels is comprised of vinyl material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,063,935 12/1936 Kirschbraun 52-314 2,592,634 4/1952 Wilson 52-314 X 2,847,721 8/1958 Diamond 52-314 3,217,453 11/1965 Medow 52-314 3,356,634 12/1967 McGinley 260-31.8

JOHN T. GOOLKASIAN, Primary Examiner I. C. GIL, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

